ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Ellen Swallow Richards

Ellen Swallow Richards was a very smart woman who lived a long time ago. She was born in 1842, and she lived until 1911. Ellen was interested in science, which means she liked learning about all of the amazing things that happen in the world around us.

When Ellen was growing up, many people thought that it was not important for girls to learn about science. But Ellen did not listen to them. Instead, she went to college and learned all she could about chemistry and biology.

Ellen wanted to use her knowledge to help people. She knew that many people were getting sick because they didn't have clean water or safe food. So, Ellen started doing experiments to find out how to make water and food safe. She also taught people how to keep their homes clean and healthy.

Ellen liked teaching people so much that she became a teacher herself. She taught other women about science and how to use it to take care of their families. Ellen even wrote books to share her knowledge with even more people.

Ellen was very important because she helped people understand that science can help us to live happy and healthy lives. Thanks to her, many people today know how to keep themselves and their families safe and healthy.